On the verge of elimination, the Hawks look to stave off the hungry Pacers tonight and force a game 7.  So far, home teams have won every game in the series by a wide margin, so expectations are high for tonight.  Here we break down our game 6 keys to victory for both sides:

Atlanta Hawks Keys to Victory

1) Don’t abandon the big lineup

After winning two games in a row, the Pacers abandoned their ‘big lineup’ game plan in game 5 and gave Kyle Korver 32 minutes off the bench, leaving only 17 and 16 minutes for Anthony Tolliver and Ivan Johnson, respectively.  The result? Paul George ran wild and David West manhandled the Hawks down low.  Never abandon your plan, Hawks, because it might spell an early playoff exit.

2) Give Ivan Johnson more minutes

In the aforementioned 16 minutes Johnson played last game he bullied his way to 9 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal all while harassing Indiana big men down low and drawing 8 free throws for himself.  These free throws show that the Pacers will hack him to prevent easy buckets, and they become a huge key to success if Johnson can get Hibbert/West in foul trouble.  It is unfathomable why the Hawks did not play their bruiser more in game 5, as he provides the toughness and motor they so desperately need against a bigger team like Indiana.

3) Get the crowd involved

Atlanta has a fiercely passionate fan base and an intimidating color, but the Hawks still need to fire up the crowd and not let momentum die.  The fans are a big part of why Atlanta has been so effective at home in recent years, and if the Hawks are going to force a game 7 they must utilize their most important 6^th man- the crowd.

Indiana Pacers Keys to Victory

1) Deny the post

Keep the ball in the hands of Devin Harris and Jeff Teague, it’s working.  The two combined to go 6 of 25 in game 5, a dismal number that suggests their ineffectiveness against the very defensive-minded backcourt of George Hill and Lance Stephenson.  The fact that Teague and Harris combined for 8 assists and 2 rebounds is also pretty staggering, especially considering they played a combined 70 minutes.  Shift defenders to help out with Josh Smith and Horford and the Pacers have a chance to wrap up the series tonight.

2) Keep the bigs out of foul trouble

Indiana did a very nice job of contesting shots without fouling in game 5, as evidenced by none of their starting lineup picking up more than 4 fouls.  This allowed 35+ minutes for both Hibbert and David West, who combined for 42 points and a lot of defensive mayhem for the Hawks.  Hibbert in particular is a vital part of the Pacers advantage over the Hawks, so if they wish to break their current 12-game losing streak playing at Atlanta, he will have to log in heavy minutes.

3) Attack Josh Smith

As mentioned in our last game preview, Josh Smith had become a hindrance on Paul George’s effectiveness due to his lethal combination of size and speed. However, by routinely attacking him in game 5, the Pacers were able to force Smith into picking up 5 fouls and only playing for 25 minutes.  Paul George capitalized on this and put up 21-10-5 on 87% shooting from the floor.  If the Pacers can once again seek out Josh Smith on defense and force him to foul, tonight will be a long night for the Hawks.

ATLANTA, GA – APRIL 29: Al Horford #15 of the Atlanta Hawks grabs a rebound against Roy Hibbert #55 of the Indiana Pacers during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on April 29, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

In an exciting turn of events, the Atlanta Hawks have won two straight against the Indiana Pacers to even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.  The series returns to Indiana tonight for game five, with the main question being whether Atlanta can carry their recent momentum into Bankers Life Fieldhouse, or if Indiana can continue their dominance at home.  Here is our breakdown for the game 5 keys to victory for both teams:

Atlanta Hawks Keys to Victory

1) Stick with the big lineups

By having Johan Petro play center, the Hawks are able to move Al Horford to the PF position, where he is much more comfortable and able to match up against David West, and Josh Smith to SF, where he can lock down Paul George.  Ivan Johnson adds a nice boost of toughness off the bench as well, consistently harassing Indiana big men into making mistakes.  Provided Smith and Horford can avoid early foul trouble, it looks as if the Hawks may have found their recipe for success.

2) Attack the rim

A large part of how Atlanta was able to maintain their lead in game 4 was by continuously driving to the hoop and picking up easy fouls.  Smith, Horford and Teague drew a combined 32 free-throw attempts, more than the entire Indiana Pacers team.  If they can continue to pick up fouls near the rim, their chances of sneaking out of Indianapolis with a victory tonight become far more likely.

3) Don’t let Indiana’s defense get comfortable

Atlanta did an awesome job last game of utilizing Kyle Korver and Anthony Tolliver to space the floor when the Pacers defense started to pack the paint to stop Horford.  The two combined to go 8-11 from behind the 3-point arc, as kick outs from the post often resulted in open shots.  If Atlanta is able to space the floor and keep Indiana’s defense second-guessing, they are paving their own road to the next round.

Indiana Pacers Keys to Victory

1) Close out driving lanes quickly

When Josh Smith, who shot 16 free-throws last game alone, gets a head of steam heading towards the basket he is going to end up scoring or at the free-throw line.  If help defenders can effectively cut off the lane without leaving their men open, the Hawks will not be able to pick up easy points.  The proof? In the first two games of the series (both Pacers blowouts) the Hawks averaged 17 free throw attempts per game, and in the second two games (both Hawks blowouts) Atlanta averaged 33 free throw attempts per game.

2) Keep a slow pace in the first half

These past two games have shown the Pacers inability to climb back from large deficits, as the Hawks have accrued halftime leads of 17 and 24 points in the last two contests.  By playing half court ball, working the ball down low and cherishing possessions, the Pacers will stymie any potential Hawks momentum and assure themselves a game in the second half.

3) Get Josh Smith in foul trouble early

Attack him at the rim; he will always meet you there, and when he does the result will usually be a foul or blocked shot. The Hawks are now fully aware that a major key to their success is draping Josh Smith on Paul George, as he is the only player with the body and skill set to thwart his game.  As well, Smith has been on fire offensively in the past two games, adding to the importance of forcing him to sit out for an extended period.  Without Smith the Hawks would likely regress back to having Devin Harris and Kyle Korver guard George- two options that have been tried and do not turn out pretty.

The Atlanta Hawks kept their impressive 12-game home winning streak against the Pacers alive by easily defeating Indiana in game 3 after falling behind 0-2 in the series.  The Hawks look to even the series at 2 games apiece tonight at Philips Arena, where they will face the disgruntled Pacers looking to avenge their loss.  Here I will break down the keys for success for both teams in tonight’s match-up:

Atlanta Hawks Keys to Victory

1. Keep the pressure high on Paul George

Atlanta absolutely harassed George last game, throwing a multitude of defensive looks his way to effectively keep him from getting comfortable.  Instead of responding calmly and looking to help his team in ways other than scoring, the young George often forced the issue, which resulted in an uncharacteristic 5 turnovers (more than the prior two games combined).  He saw a lot of Josh Smith in game three, something that clearly frustrated him and helped the Hawks take control.

2. Maintain focus on forcing turnovers

Atlanta forced a series-high 22 turnovers in game 3, a number due in large part to the 9 steals recorded by the starting lineup alone.  This improved defense and tenacity was mainly due to the Hawks bigger lineups, specifically ones featuring the bruising Ivan Johnson.

3. Run the offense through Horford

The Hawks finally woke up and pounded the ball into Horford en route to their game 3 drubbing of the Pacers.  After two games of under-utilizing the extremely talented big man, Atlanta responded by playing Horford for 40 minutes and having him touch the ball on nearly every offensive possession.  The result? 26 points on 12-20 shooting to go along with 16 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks.  It’s always nice to see how far a little confidence can get you.

Indiana Pacers Keys to Victory

1. Stay out of foul trouble

Hibbert, George and West each recorded 4 fouls in Saturday’s loss, something that forced the trio to sit for longer than desired and played a huge role in the Hawks blistering first half run.  The Pacers only reliable big man off the bench is Tyler Hansbrough, so they were forced to go smaller on many occasions with lineups that featured DJ Augustin and Gerald Green.  If these three starters, especially Hibbert, can avoid foul trouble, the Pacers will fair much better tonight than they did in game 3.

2. Give Tyler Hansbrough his due

Hansbrough, though not overly skilled, made hustle plays again and again last game in efforts to try and spark a comeback from his team.  You absolutely need a guy like that to contend in playoff games, especially against more burly opponents like Atlanta.  The Hawks will certainly try and utilize bigger lineups more regularly after their success in game 3, so Hansbrough’s motor becomes all the more vital for the Pacers success.

3. Hit the ground running

After leading 8-1 to start the game, the Pacers unexpectedly lost all semblance of momentum after a Hawks timeout, getting beaten badly to the point of being down 24 at half.  The margins of victory in the series thus far have been 17 points in game 1, 15 in game 2 and 21 in game 3, so getting an early lead and being able to kill the spirit of the Hawks early in game 4 is a key ingredient for their success tonight.